Exam Preparation Guide For OCR AS Level Psychology
Core Studies 2
This paper is always the one that students find the most difficult, simply because it is the most taxing. However, like most things in life you need to practice to make it perfect. Here are a few hints and examples for you to read through and practice on. The more practice you have the more you will come to say, ‘Hey this core study is really not that difficult at all’.
This module asks you to apply the themes and perspectives of the course to the core studies. You will be asked to compare and contrast studies, as well as put them in the context of various debates within psychology.
This paper takes 60 minutes, and is in two parts.
Part A has two questions, and you answer one of these. They will both be based on a methodological issue, such as the strengths and weaknesses of various ways of drawing a sample. They will also ask you to answer with reference to a particular study (from a choice of three).
The first part, for six marks, asks for description of some aspects of the study. The second part, for twelve marks, asks for two strengths and two weaknesses (of whichever methodological issue the question is about, in your chosen study). It is important that you plan your answer to this carefully. You will not receive credit for more than two strengths and two weaknesses, however good your answer is. Also, if you write about only one strength and one weakness, you will score a maximum of 6 marks. For each idea you consider you should include a general point, an example from the study and a comment.
The third part asks you to devise an alternative way to study the topic, and to say how this change might affect the findings, for eight marks. You can be as creative as you like here, but remember that the point is to show your understanding of psychological methods. Include detail of your change to score fourmarks, and enough about the effects of change for the other four.
You need to spend half an hour on this question.
Part B consists of two essay questions, each based around an issue,
such as the effect of situations on behaviour, or the developmental approach,
and referring to 4 studies.
Choose one of these to answer.
a) asks you to discuss each of the studies, with reference to the issue, for twelve marks. If you discuss only two of the four, you will only score 6 marks, however good your answer is. So make sure that you refer to all of the four studies. For each study, you can gain 3 marks by both making a point and providing comment, or by making 3 points. This depends on the question, one or other of these will be appropriate.
b) asks about four problems, or two strengths and two weaknesses, to do with the issue, for twelve marks. You will be asked to give examples, which can come from any of the 20 studies. Again, careful planning is vital. Think before you begin to write, exactly which issue/problem/strength/weakness you will write about, and which study you will use to provide an illustration of the issue/problem etc.
To prepare for this paper, you will need your notes, handouts on introducing each approach and evaluating each approach. You will also need to learn the full set of issues. Make a schedule for when you will do the work and most importantly stick to it. Practice, practice and more practice past exam questions and get your teacher to look at your answers. Most importantly have relax time, plenty of sleep, fresh air and exercise.
Good luck.
Have a go
Sample question
When carrying out experimental research, one of the most important factors that psychologists have to consider is what variables need to be controlled, and how that control is to be achieved.
In each of the studies listed below, the psychologists controlled a number of variables.
Schachter and Singer (emotion)
Baron-Cohen, Leslie and Frith (autism)
Loftus and Palmer (eye-witness testimony)
Piliavin, Rodin and Piliavin (subway Samaritans)
a) Outline how one variable was controlled in each of the studies. (12 marks)
b) Using examples from the studies, discuss two advantages and two disadvantages of applying controls in psychological studies.(12 marks)
Remember
a) Here, for each study in turn, you should:
Identify a point.
Relate the point to the question and the study
Comment on what the point tells us about the value/purpose/possibility/usefulness of controlling variables
Remember to make one point for each study
b) works like b) in part A i.e. point, example, comment, all repeated four times. But this time, you should relate your answer to more than one study. This means that the point should be one that applies generally, and not just to a particular study.
Example and comments for two completed questions
Nature/Nurture Debate
One of the most important debates within psychology is the nature/nurture debate. This debate is concerned with the causes of human behaviour; either inherited (nature) or learned (nurture). Using the core studies below, answer the questions that follow.
Bandura, Ross and Ross (aggression)
Deregowski (perception)
Gould (IQ testing)
Gardner and Gardner (project Washoe)
a) Describe what each study tells us about how behaviour is inherited or learned. (12 marks)
b) Using examples, give four problems faced when they investigated whether behaviour is inherited or earned. (12 marks)
Click here for answer and comments to the above questions
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